Matter Opening Checklist for a New Law Firm Client

Search every name tied to the matter, not just the client. That means the opposing party, their directors, co-defendants, guarantors, insurers and any witness already named. A search on the client alone misses the usual trap, which is a former client sitting on the other side.

Save the result against the matter. Do not leave it in an email. Note who ran the search, on what date and which spellings were tried. Short names and transliterated names need two or three variants. A clear result with no record is worth little. A partner will ask for proof months later, usually when the opposing party turns out to be an old client.

If a hit appears, stop. The supervising partner decides, in writing, whether to decline, seek consent or build an ethical wall.

The letter defines the scope. It says what the firm will do and, just as useful, what it will not. An appeal, an enforcement step or a regulatory filing that is left out should be named as left out.

Record who the client contact is and who may give instructions. In a company, a finance manager often pays the bills while a director gives the instructions. Write both down. Names matter here.

File the signed copy where the whole team can find it. An unsigned letter in someone’s inbox is the single most common gap found in later audits.

A fixed folder tree saves hours. Use the same subfolders on every matter: pleadings, correspondence, client documents, research, court orders, billing. Anyone covering for a colleague then knows where to look, even at nine at night with a hearing the next morning.

Give the matter one number and one naming rule for files, such as date, document type and version. Drafts named final2 and final-latest cause real errors. Version numbers do not.

Scan or upload what the client handed over on day one and log the originals received. Return or retention of originals is a question that always comes back.

Do this on the first day, while the facts are fresh. List the limitation date, the next hearing, any reply due to a notice, each filing window and any date by which the client has promised documents. Each goes on a shared matter calendar, not a personal one.

Give each date an owner and a reminder. A date with no name beside it belongs to nobody.

Add the reasoning when the date is calculated. If the limitation date came from an accident on a given day, note the rule used so a colleague can check it.

Write down the billing basis: hourly, fixed fee or staged. Note the rates by fee earner, the invoice interval and who receives the invoice. If a retainer or deposit is held, record where it sits and what it can be drawn against.

Agree how disbursements are handled. Court fees, courier charges and expert reports are cheaper to explain on day one than on the first invoice.

Finish by reading the file as a stranger would. If a colleague could take over without a phone call, the matter is open properly. Sign the checklist and attach it to the file.